Junior Adventures Group @ St Michaels N6

Highlights from Latest Inspection

What is it like to attend this early years setting?

This provision meets requirements Children at the club receive good support from the hard-working and dedicated staff. They enjoy discussing their school day with their friends and with the staff. Children have the confidence to explore and access a range of activities which are set up before they arrive at the club.

They enjoy expressing themselves through opportunities, such as free painting, drawing and playing with construction. Staff are positive role models and talk to children about respecting one another and listening to each other's opinions and views. This reinforces children's self-confidence and emotional well-being.

Consequently, children are ...very well behaved. Children take part in activities that help them to learn about different topics, themes and festivals. For example, children enjoy painting flags and creating a pirate face mask.

They have the confidence to ask for help when they need, for example, when they find it difficult to thread string through the mask. Staff help children to persevere, remain focused and complete their activity. This has a positive impact on their sense of achievement.

However, staff do not consistently encourage children to manage everyday tasks for themselves, such as clearing away their cups and plates after having their snack, to further their independence.

What does the early years setting do well and what does it need to do better?

Staff spend time interacting and playing alongside children. They get to know the children extremely well and encourage them to write about their views of the club and choices for new activities.

This helps children to form warm and trusting relationships with the staff. Children practise their coordination skills at they play a game of indoor skittles with their friends and staff. Children have opportunities to play outdoors and gain fresh air daily.

They wear high-visibility jackets during darker weather so that they can be easily seen as they play outside. Children enjoy playing ball games and with skipping ropes, and learn to keep themselves safe. For example, they remind each other not to use the outdoor climbing frame as it is wet because of the rain.

Children develop their small-muscle skills as they use scissors to cut out a range of materials, such as felt, foam and tissue to create a Scottish flag to celebrate St Andrew's Day. Staff promote children's language and communication skills effectively. They discuss with them about the colours of different flags of countries, which supports children's learning about the world around them.

The manager and staff ensure they keep the areas used by children safe and secure. This includes risk assessing the outdoor playground daily and monitoring children's individual medical needs, such as nut allergies, closely. Children learn the importance of good health and hygiene practice.

For instance, they wash their hands before snacks and after messy play. They enjoy a range of healthy food which helps to promote their good health. Older children are kind and considerate toward younger children.

For instance, they wait for the younger children to help themselves to snacks before they have theirs.Partnerships with parents and families are highly effective. Staff provide a range of information, such as the weekly plans and menus, and younger children's key-person information.

Parents say that they are very happy with the club and the care staff provide. They say their children thoroughly enjoy attending and staff are always willing to help.The manager and staff reflect on the service they provide, and include the opinions of parents and children in their reflections.

They work hard on maintaining good standards for all children. Senior leaders continually ensure staff's suitability and implement robust safer recruitment procedures. They support staff's professional development through mandatory safeguarding and core training skills.

Senior managers carry out inductions and provide performance management meetings. They are currently developing staff's training in playwork in response to the manager's high ambitions for extending play opportunities for children even further.

Safeguarding

The arrangements for safeguarding are effective.

Senior leaders make sure that robust procedures are embedded into practice to ensure children's safety, care and well-being. Staff have a secure knowledge of the action to take should they have any concerns about a child's welfare. All accidents and children's absences are followed up appropriately and in a timely way.

Children learn about keeping themselves safe, for example, by recalling the club's safety rules before the start of activities. Staff are vigilant and ensure that children continually feel happy, settled and secure. They use walkie-talkies to communicate with each other so they know when children are moving from one area to area to the next.

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